Newsletter Term 3, Week 2, 2024

Welcome back Term 3

Welcome back to you all and a very special welcome to new friends and families. We were delighted to welcome our new families to Our lady of the Visitation Preschool & School this term as our Pathway children transition into Preschool, Growing into Reception and Mid-Year Reception. This is a significant milestone in the lives of both children and their families, filled with excitement for the educational journey ahead and the endless possibilities it holds. Alongside this excitement, it is natural for families to experience some hesitation and anxiety about the separation and how their child will manage this important change.

Our dedicated staff are exceptional in prioritising the establishment of strong relationships with both children and families. Our Early Years teachers and ESO’s (co-educators) work diligently to understand and know each child deeply, creating a profound sense of belonging that allows every child to thrive and reach their full potential.

Book Week Monday 19 – Friday 23 August

During Book Week, students will be engaging with a variety of activities to promote a love of books, libraries and reading. As part of this celebration, on Friday 23 August we invite all students to come to school dressed as a story character. We will have a whole school gathering on the courts (weather permitting) at 9.15 where students will be given the opportunity to parade their costume. Parents are welcome to attend.

We look forward to celebrating Book Week 2024!

Parent Teacher Conversations

Parent Teacher Conversations (Parent Interviews) will be conducted next week with Wednesday 7 August being the late night.

Online bookings have now closed. If you have not booked an interview time, please make contact with your child’s class teacher to negotiate a time.

Interview times have been sent to your child’s teacher.  

Communication between home and school is vital for effective teaching to take place.  These interviews will give both teachers and parents an opportunity to discuss how your child is progressing.  Meetings will be for 15 minutes and I ask that you please be punctual so that everyone can get their full appointment time.  Children are not allowed outside to play during interview times because of safety and supervision concerns.  Year 2 & 3 Classes, Learning Conversations will take place in the new Early Years Building or Meeting Room.

Living Learning Leading Parent and Caregiver Survey

Please can I ask for three to five minutes of your time to complete a short survey to support us in always striving towards excellence in our performance as a school. This LLL survey is an opportunity for you to tell how things are for you and your family and know that we value your feedback and will try to respond to the information that you provide.

The feedback does NOT include the data of individuals; rather, feedback involves graphs based on feedback from all parents and caregivers. To ensure anonymity, aggregated scores are not provided for groups of less than four parents or caregivers. It is your impressions that we are seeking. There are no right or wrong answers.

If you have more than one child at school, please respond based on the experience of the oldest child at the school. This information was emailed this week.

Railway Tce Car Park, Road Safety, Driver Etiquette

I can positively report that the recently introduced parking restrictions along Railway Tce has improved the traffic flow dramatically.  I have met with the Port Adelaide Enfield Council Traffic Engineer who has been a regular observer at pick time, where he has witnessed a marked improvement.

School drop-off and pick-up times are busy for everyone. For everyone’s sake, we want this to happen in a safe and courteous manner, including not parking or stopping your vehicle in a ‘no parking/standing’ area; this includes on solid yellow lines and across driveways.  Also please remember that the Church carpark is one way only!  When using this carpark, please follow the arrows and drive slowly through there at all times.  

Please demonstrate consideration and patience, as well as travelling slowly around the school at all times.

St Vincent de Paul

Last term we raised much needed food items for our St Vinnie’s Can Drive fundraiser. Give yourselves a pat on the back because our school community, YES YOU, raised over 900 items. Congratulations to us all, this was a brilliant effort. Now, you’re probably wondering what each House raised, well, to be exact, there were 913 points to allocate:

Blue      -  St. Anthony’s House – 186 points
Green   -  St. Mary’s House – 206 points
Yellow   -  St. Elizabeth’s House – 216 points
Red       - St. Dominic’s House – 305 points

Again, an excellent effort by all. Thank you so much.

Teresa Branch from St Vinnies came into school to personally thank our community for this wonderful achievement. She spoke about St. Vinnie’s, Fred’s Van and Centres for both men and women. As St. Dominic proclaims: Be who you were created to be, and you will set the word on fire! We are graces to share God’s love. Generosity is only one way, but a very efficient way, in sharing God’s love.

Catholic Mission – Socktober 2024

For this term, Term 3, we turn our fundraising sights to Catholic Mission – Socktober. This is a fun filled enjoyable event typically led by our student leaders. Tony Johnston from Catholic Mission came into school and spoke with our House Leaders of whom will speak to all classes about Socktober in the coming weeks plus explain Catholic Mission’s focus for 2024 and what we can do collectively to help. Watch this space – more information to follow in the coming weeks.

St. Dominic’s Feast Day Memorial Mass

We celebrated St. Dominic’s Feast Day with a Mass on Thursday 1st August. The Mass was hosted by our senior SRCs and House Leaders and attended by all year levels. Thank you to the families who attended Mass too. It’s always great to celebrate these occasions together. St Dominic’s mission was to spread the fire and warmth of God’s love and enlighten the minds and heart of people with the message of truth, justice, and peace. Veritas is truth – the very foundation our school charism (spiritually inspired core values) is built upon. As emphasised at Mass, let’s ensure our fire and the warmth of God’s love is present within our daily lives and serves as a beacon of light showing where the love of God is to be found.

May God the Father, who made us, bless us.  May God the Son, who redeemed us, send healing into our midst. May God the Holy Spirit, who gives us life, move within us. May God give us eyes to see God, ears to hear God, and hands to bring God’s work into the world. May we walk with God and preach the word of God to all. May the angel of peace watch over us and lead us at last by God's grace to the eternal Kingdom. Prayer of St. Dominic

Have a wonderful weekend.

God Bless.
Linda Caldinez

Congratulations to Alessia S. and Phoebe H. who have auditioned for a solo spot in the Catholic Schools’ Music Festival. We heard with excitement this week that both students have been selected for the next round of auditions. We wish them all the best.

The OLV Festival Choir will be performing in the Festival Theatre at the end of this term, on Monday September 23rd.  There will be information on how to purchase tickets in the next newsletter.

In music lessons year two and three have been developing their skills on percussion instruments and playing together in ensemble.